Started with squats -
1x5 @ empty bar
1x8 @ 135
1x5 @ 225
1x3 @ 315
1x2 @ 405
1x1 @ 455
1x1 @ 475
1x1 @ 525 for a new PR!
The 525 went up pretty easily, and I was coaxed into going up to 545. Went down, came up about 8-10" but stopped cold. Give me 2 months and it'll happen. Wound down with one more set of 3 @ 475 and regular squats were done.

Did a few front squats at the end to finally get a heavier one set. I've never made more than 285 before because my form is crap, but I'm going to start front squatting regularly since they need a lot of work and I'd like to be hitting 405 for reps in a few months. Tonight I just did 2 singles @ 315, but the 2nd one went pretty well (first one was kind of ugly) so there may be hope for me here yet.

Bad day today - nothing went well all afternoon, and in the evening I end up getting into a squabble with a semi-well-known person in the vegan community that turned out to be kind of a jerk (which confirmed my suspicions that I've had for some time), but at least I made it to the gym for some deadlifts.

Warmed up with some 1-handed barbell deadlifts, 1-arm cleans and a few power snatches first, then hit the good old deadlifts. I've lost a lot of strength in these, but there's no better time to get back into doing them!

1x5 @ 225
1x3 @ 315
3x5 @ 405
1x2, followed by 2 singles @ 455

I originally just planned on doing the sets @ 405, but I heard the 455 calling out to me so I had to do a few more with that weight. A year ago I'd have been knocking out sets of 6-8 with 455, but now I'm starting from the ground up again. A few monts of consistent work and it'll come back to me!

That was it - I only had around 35 minutes to lift before closing time so I didn't get to bench as I'd expected. Tomorrow is rest day, strongman event training on Saturday will follow!

Got to meet up with the gang for some strongman event training yesterday, had a lot of fun and I hurt all over today, so I must have been doing something right.

Started with log presses, which was a bit tougher for me since the ceiling of the basement we were training in was just low enough that I had to lean back a bit and still couldn't completely lock out my reps:
1x8 @ 110 (or something close to it)
1x6 @ 160
2x6 @ 210
Reps were done with as little push as possible, trying to be fairly strict with each one.

Next, did some thick handled farmer's holds (handles slightly over 2"). My hands are too weak right now in that they're soft and don't take well to hard work, which I really need to fix. I preferred it much more when my hands were tough as leather and didn't feel a thing. Nothing very heavy here, just some timed holds for a short bit working up to around 200 per hand for a 30 count.

Moved to stones next, but my head wasn't it in when we started. It took me a bit to get going, but ended up fairly well:
1 load to around 52" with 250
1 " " @ 280
Attempted 340, failed to move it.
Went to the oversized 300, and I was way off. Went at it 3 times and failed, had to get angry with myself, then I finally made it and lost a crapload of flesh in the process (that sucker was rough!) There's a nice red stain on the stone now where I had to make my blood sacrifice, but eventually it went up on the platform and all was well.
Then I went back to the 340 a few minutes later, it went up easier than the 300 did now that I was back in action. The 340 here humbled me last time I tried it a few months ago, but this time it was all mine.
Wrapped up the stone work with a few sets of rows, doing doubles with the 280. Every time I went for a 3rd rep I'd lose my grip and drop it, but that was fine for the day.

Ended up doing some complexes, first with the log @ 110 doing the following in succession - 10 strict presses, 10 cleans from waist to shoulders, then 10 rows. Kirk and I alternated 3 sets each with no rest between and I was surprised my endurance wasn't worse - the only time I had to pause between any reps was on the last few for the rows on the last set, just enough to catch my breath once and that was it.

One last set of tricep pushdowns followed by BB curls (bar only) for 10 each and that was it.

Haven't touched stones in a month and now I feel like someone kicked me in the ribs, but that only makes me want to go after them harder next time and finally get 375 loaded in the next month.

Long, tough week here at work means little lifting, but I managed to get out tonight for a bit to squat and overhead press.

Started with push presses in the rack -
1x8 with empty bar
1x5 @ 135 (strict press)
1x3 @ 185 (strict press)
1x3 @ 225 (push)
1x2 @ 255 (push)
1x2 @ 275 (push), failed on 3rd rep as I have before. Can't figure out why it was so tough, but I practically suffered a nervous breakdown yesterday due to stress so I didn't expect miracles today in the gym. So much for it being easier after the holiday rush is over...

Squats and overhead work again today, trying to change my schedule a bit and get them in on Mondays if possible.

Push presses -
1x8 @ empty bar
1x5 @ 135
1x3 @ 225
1x3 @ 265
2x2 @ 275
Trying to get to doing more doubles and triples with heavier weights. Was going to go lighter and hit more reps, but I can tell early on when my endurance sucks and it sucked hard today. Heavy low reps were the only way to get things done.

Squats next -
1x5 @ 225
1x3 @ 315
1x3 @ 405
1x3 @ 455
1x3 @ 475
1x1 @ 485
Wanted to get a triple with 485, hit the pins well below parallel and came up uneven, stopped there. Next time it'll work.
1x20 @ 225
Did a 20 rep set to finish off, no rest between reps, just one after another to get some cardio-ish work in. Probably could have hit 30 or more without much problem if I'd decided to top out, but I just wanted to see if I could get 20 without needing to catch my breath between reps.

Wrapped up with 2x10 @ 225 for some light Good Mornings and that was it. May get some back work in tomorrow, DLs coming on Wednesday or Thursday.

Power Cleans
2x5 @ 185
3rd set whacked myself nicely - bounced the pull off my crotch, jeans I was wearing bunched up in the front and the bar slammed the hard zipper area right into my groin, causing me to shout because it freakin' hurt a LOT. Stopped on that 3rd rep and called it quits.

Headed home, hit the basement to wrap things up once I was done being mad at my stupidity.

Aside from a quarter-sized bruise I'm quite alright - I just need to learn to time my cleans better for the 2nd pull so I don't make the same mistake twice! That, and doing them in loose-fit jeans may not be the brightest idea of mine...

I was smiling to myself this evening as I was doing some shrugs and realized that this was also an exercise that required a little forethought in order to make sure the "boys" stay safe.

I went to the chiropractor again this am. Holy #$@^ does he know how to find the most painful areas. I asked how he knew exactly where to work and he said he can actually feel the scar tissue and then just digs in to break it up. I must be a little off as I relished the pain knowing it was going to make me stronger again. It feels much better already.

I'm continuing to lift but with great focus and good form although he said not to. But it's hard to convince myself to stop especially when it doesn't really hurt that much.
Anyway, sorry about the hijack here.

Lift on.......

_________________Do not let the endless possibilities blind you to your one true path.

No worries about the ART talk, Phoenix - I'm just happy to hear that it may be doing some good for you!

Got a bit of event work in yesterday, but I was pretty beat from only getting about 5 hours of sleep and my mind just wansn't in it 100%. Still had fun and got some good lifting in.

Started with DLs in the rack from what I'd guess to have been about 8" or so higher than a pull from the floor. Worked up to 495, got stopped at 545. My DL sucks right now after so long of not doing them and will be my main focus for improvement.

Did some 12" log pressing next, pretty cold outside with just a light sweatshirt. I'm not too good with the big logs yet, but I managed to get one single and a double with 230 which is better than my getting stopped cold with 210 the last time I tried a log that large. Just gotta keep working that form because the strength is there but the technique is still pretty sloppy since I tend to push off my toes instead of my heels with log pressing.

Some quick thick-handled farmer's holds next, did up to 245 or something like that for a quick 8-10 second hold, didn't move the 300ish weight at all so nothing extremely heavy.

Wrapped up with stones, but I had to leave early into them so I didn't get as much work here as I'd hoped for. Some loads up to 300, attempted to move the new beast which was estimated between 375 and 400 but didn't budge it. Two last sets were some ass-kickers, done with the 280. First set was pull to knee height, set it down, step back and do it again for 5, then lap it on the last pull and do 5 reps to platform height, loading the last one. Final set for me was 5 reps of taking the 280 from the lap, setting it to just an inch above ground, then re-lap again. Almost lost my grip a few times but held on for all I had and got it done.

Only complaint today is that my back sprain from summer is acting up a little, but it usually goes away after a day or two. Other than that, everything training-wise has been quite good!

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